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Alfred Sisley, 'The Small Meadows in Spring', about 1880-1

Key facts
Full title The Small Meadows in Spring
Artist Alfred Sisley
Artist dates 1839 - 1899
Date made about 1880-1
Medium and support Oil on canvas
Dimensions 54.3 × 73 cm
Inscription summary Signed
Acquisition credit On loan from Tate: Presented by a body of subscribers in memory of Roger Fry 1936
Inventory number L674
Location Not on display
Image copyright On loan from Tate: Presented by a body of subscribers in memory of Roger Fry 1936, © 2000 Tate
Collection Main Collection
The Small Meadows in Spring
Alfred Sisley

In 1880 financial hardship forced Sisley to leave Sèvres, in the suburbs of Paris, for the Seine-et-Marne region, south-east of the city. He lived in this area for the rest of his life. The move marked a turning point in the artist's career, and he painted the river landscape with a new vitality and freshness of vision.

This painting depicts 'le Chemin des Petits Prés', the wooded path which ran along the left bank of the Seine, connecting the villages of Veneux and By. It has now been replaced by a paved walkway. The village visible on the opposite bank is Champagne.

The young girl, who has been identified as the artist's daughter, Jeanne, appears as an embodiment of spring.

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The Small Meadows in Spring

Alfred Sisley

More paintings by Alfred Sisley

The Bridge at Sèvres
The Bridge at Sèvres
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The Path to the Old Ferry at By
The Path to the Old Ferry at By
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The Watering Place at Marly-le-Roi
The Watering Place at Marly-le-Roi
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Sisley painted this winter scene in the small village of Marly-le-Roi in early 1875, soon after he moved there. The village was the site of the Château de Marly, which had been built in the late seventeenth century for Louis XIV, King of France, as a retreat from Versailles. It was later demolish...
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View of the Thames: Charing Cross Bridge
View of the Thames: Charing Cross Bridge
Alfred Sisley
Room 44